Forming an LLC in Hawaii (2026): 7 Procedures and the 3 Best LLC Services
Mainstay Filing ($199), HI Registered Agent.org ($199) and Hawaii Registered Agent.co ($199) measured best, in that order, for forming an LLC in Hawaii in 2026. Forming the LLC requires 7 procedures and $51 paid to the state, followed by the Domestic Limited Liability Company Annual Report every year.
$12.50 a yearRecorded due date: last day of the quarter in which the LLC was organized
Three years of state fees
$76Filing plus recurring state fees
Number of procedures
7In sequence
Sheet aims
The official Hawaii fee and form
What the registered agent rule requires
The recurring upkeep
The services we recommend
Best reading
Who we would engage in Hawaii
Cost over three years comes first, then procedures performed, renewal, Hawaii fit and price legibility (method page).
Begin here
1. Mainstay Filing: best for no annual report paperwork
$199 a year, with $250 at checkout for the state fee
The sheet starts with Mainstay Filing, because observed cost is $199 a year for filing, registered agent service and the annual report, with no change at renewal ($199).
The premium over HI Registered Agent.org across three years is $200, which the 28% weight on procedures performed outweighs.
The Domestic Limited Liability Company Annual Report counts as performed, with Hawaii's $12.50 billed without markup.
What the price performs
Filing with the state
Registered agent for the full year
Annual report filed on schedule
EIN application included
No markup on the state fee
Measured strengths
Renews at $199
One annual price of $199, including the annual report
The EIN application is included
Measured limits
Its renewal is $100 higher than HI Registered Agent.org's
Company prices as posted on November 13, 2026. No row includes the $51 state fee.
The procedures
Procedure1
Procedure 1: Select a name
The first observation to make is a name search at the Hawaii Secretary of State, before any filing is prepared under a name already in use.
TipCarry a second name into the search.
Procedure2
Procedure 2: Assign the registered agent role
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. A Hawaii resident, or a business entity formed in Hawaii or authorized to do business there. The LLC cannot be its own agent.
The address has to be a place of business with a street address in Hawaii. P.O. boxes are not accepted.
TipEach recommended service fills the registered agent role.
The state's fee is $51 on either route. A service adds $199; the readings show which to use.
Procedure4
Procedure 4: Send the Articles of Organization for Limited Liability Company
Required inputs: the Articles of Organization for Limited Liability Company (Form LLC-1), $51, and the Hawaii Secretary of State as the receiving office. Statute: Haw. Rev. Stat. § 428-203.
With Hawaii's approval recorded, request an EIN so the LLC can open accounts in its own name. The yearly price at Mainstay Filing covers this application.
Procedure6
Procedure 6: Document the owners' agreement
Ownership and decision rules are written in the operating agreement, an internal document outside the Hawaii filing.
Procedure7
Procedure 7: Maintain good standing in Hawaii
Log the Domestic Limited Liability Company Annual Report: $12.50, every year, deadline last day of the quarter in which the LLC was organized. The late penalty reads $10.
Filing fee plus two later reports plus any minimum tax gives the state's three-year total. The specimens below name the page behind each amount.
Why Mainstay Filing comes first
Procedures the price performs accounts for 28% of the reading, and it is where pulled ahead in Hawaii.
Hawaii requires the Domestic Limited Liability Company Annual Report every year, so a price that performs it outscored a lower price that leaves it to the owner.
Common questions
Which fees does Hawaii collect on formation?
The state fee measures $51. A ranked service adds $199 in year one.
Which form creates the LLC?
Procedure 4 explains how to complete the Articles of Organization for Limited Liability Company (Form LLC-1) and where to send it: the Hawaii Secretary of State.
Is a registered agent required?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
What does Hawaii require each year?
Log the Domestic Limited Liability Company Annual Report: $12.50, every year, last day of the quarter in which the LLC was organized.
Can I form the LLC without a service?
It is permitted: Hawaii asks $51, and a registered agent must also be named.
Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?
Mainstay Filing reads highest, HI Registered Agent.org and Hawaii Registered Agent.co follow; Mainstay Filing leads on procedures the price performs.